Artists & Projects Directory
Nora Chipaumire
Nora Chipaumire was born in Mutare, Zimbabwe during the Chimurenga Chechipiri, or Second War of Liberation. A self-exiled artist, she moved to the U.S. in 1989 and now lives in New York City. She studied dance formally and informally in Zimbabwe, Cuba, Jamaica and the U.S. A graduate of the University of Zimbabwe's School of Law, she holds an M.A. in Dance and M.F.A. in Choreography and Performance from Mills College (CA).
Chipaumire is a recipient of two New York Dance and Performance (aka Bessie) Awards: in 2005 for her choreographic work, Chimurenga, and in 2007 for her performances with Urban Bush Women, where she was a featured performer for six years (2003-2008) and served as Associate Artistic Director in 2007-2008. Chipaumire was honored with the 2007 Mariam McGlone Emerging Choreographer Award from Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, and a Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography 2007-08 Choreographic Fellowship.
Her works include I Ka Nye (You Look Good) (2010), created and performed with choreographer Souleymane Badolo and musician Obo Addy; lions will roar, swans will fly, angels will wrestle heaven, rains will break, gurkurahundi! (2009), created and performed with the legendary Zimbabwean musician, Thomas Mapfumo; an evening of solos, entitled Poems (2007); Chimurenga (2005), her first work to tour nationally; and Dark Angels, commissioned by Dance Alloy. She is also working on two collaborative choreography projects -- Kimya, with the Kenyan ensemble JOKAJOK; and visible with Urban Bush Women premiering in October 2011 at Harlem Stage.
On film, Chipaumire is featured in the documentary Movement (R)evolution Africa (a story of an art form in four acts), produced and directed by Joan Frosch and co-directed and edited by Alla Kovgan. She choreographed and appears in the award-winning film, Nora, directed by Alla Kovgan and David Hinton; and Dark Swan, directed by Laurie Coyle.
Chipaumire's work has been widely presented in NYC and nationally. Presenting venues include: 651 ARTS, Dance New Amsterdam, Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project, and BRICstudio (NY); Arizona State University (AZ); August Wilson Center for African American Culture (PA); CD Forum (WA); Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (MD); Cleveland State University (OH); Global DanceFest at North Fourth Art Center (NM); Idaho State University (ID); The Myrna Loy Center (MT); New Orleans Dance Festival (LA); ODC Theater and SUSHI Performance and Visual Art (CA); and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Summer Stages Dance, Williams College and The Yard (MA). Her works have also gone to Canada, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Kenya and The Netherlands. Chipaumire has taught students of all ages in community colleges, public schools, and recreational studios in the U.S. and internationally.